J-K: 2 held for sexual abuse of mentally-challenged

A director and a guard of a centre for the mentally-challenged children have been detained today on charges of sexually abusing five girl inmates of the centre in Channi Rama area of Jammu city in Jammu and Kashmir.

indiaUpdated: Sep 05, 2013 18:27 IST

HT Correspondent Hindustan Times

The director and a guard of a centre for the mentally-challenged children have been detained today on charges of sexually abusing several girl inmates at the centre in Channi Rama area of Jammu city in Jammu and Kashmir.

Jammu senior superintendent of police Atul Goel said following a complaint filed against the accused at Trikuta Nagar Police Station, director Sudha Sharma and guard Angad Kumar of the Rotary Inner Wheel Home for Mentally Retarded Children were detained for questioning.

The centre houses 34 mentally-challenged children, 17 of them girls aged between 14 and 16 years.“A medical board comprising an IAS officer, two gynaecologists and a psychiatrist examined the girls and confirmed they had been repeatedly raped,” said a senior official on the condition of anonymity.

Jammu divisional commissioner Shantmanu said, “A preliminary report prepared by the deputy commissioner Jammu shows about five girls were also taken outside the home. It’s a serious matter and orders have been issued for a more detailed investigation.”

The matter came to light when a complaint was received by the SSP, who then forwarded it to deputy commissioner Jammu Ajeet Sahu.

“The inquiry committee has interacted with some of the girls. The psychiatrist has said the statements of these girls could be taken as credible,” said the official.

The inquiry committee has noted that the home didn’t maintain a visitor’s book and anyone could have taken children out without getting noticed.